Mysore, Dec 22,2012 : Union Minister for Minority Affairs Rehman Khan today ruled out possibility of changing the name of Tipu Sultan University proposed to come up at Srirangapatna in Mandya District. Speaking to newsmen on his maiden visit to the city after taking charge as Union Minister, Khan downplayed the opposition's demand to name the University after the Mysore ruler Tipu.

Khan said there was no patriot like Tipu. There were instances where kings sacrificed kingdom for the sake of state but Tipu sacrificed his sons. He was the first person to coin the word Karnataka. On Sri Rama Sene chief Promod Mutalik's calling for a discussion on the issue, he said there was no need for debate and the world know Mutalik's bent of mind. On voices that Tipu was anti-Hindu, he said it was due to some historical distortion.

Khan said Srirangapatna was the first preference for setting up the University but if there was any problem with regard to availability of land and infrastructure, then "we will look for some other suitable place within the state." It was because of Tipu's sentiment that Srirangapatna was chosen for it, he added.

Objecting to the state government bringing Anti Cow Slaughter Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2012, he said it was not correct and there was no need for changing the law. Bill had created confusion. Khan said 90 minority concentrated districts had been identified in the country for multi sector area development scheme of the ministry under which the road, housing, infrastructure would be developed and education would get boost. In Karnataka, Bidar and Gulbarga have been selected for the scheme. Over Rs 5,060 crores would be spent in this district every year.

He said Maulana Azad Foundation of the minorities welfare department had also planned schools for minorities on the model of Kendriya Vidyalayas. He said the department was closely monitoring whether 15 per cent earmarked for development of minorities in all social sector schemes of central government was reaching the minorities or not. "In view of monitoring committees of central schemes not functioning properly, it has been decided to change the present monitoring mechanism," he added.